Jennifer Lopez in W Magazine August 2013

J Lo Talks Her "Homeless" Days and Parenting For W Magazine

Jennifer Lopez got glamorous in fishnet and feathers for the cover of W magazine's August issue, for which she revisited her childhood home in the Bronx. She has been enjoying a bit of downtime with her loved ones after a work trip overseas, including a performance at the star-studded Chime for Change benefit concert in London last month. Although she has been stage-hopping, Jennifer always finds time for her kids and her boyfriend, Casper Smart. She and Casper spent a Malibu beach day with her twins, Max and Emme, on Friday. Inside W's pages, Jennifer shares her parenting method, which she credits her own parents for teaching her, as well as discusses her less fortunate days and the difficulty of revisiting her childhood home. Here is more from Jennifer Lopez in W magazine:

On revisiting her home in the Bronx: "I was nervous coming here today. The last time I was in there was when my mom and dad called us home to tell us they were separating after 33 years of marriage. I think that's why I was nervous about coming here today. It's like seeing someone from the past — you're afraid to run into them because you never know if it's going to be 'wow' or very difficult. This is a combination of both."

On her relationship with her mom: "My mom and I butted heads. I didn't want to go to college — I wanted to try dance full-time. I was homeless. But I told her 'This is what I have to do.' I think a lot about teaching my kids to work hard. I've learned something about kids — they don't do what you say; they do what you do. I watched my parents."

On memories of her childhood: "I can remember dancing and singing in front of the mirror in my bedroom. I would look out that window to see if my boyfriend was coming, then I would run out the door."